Combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard, or inboard-outboard powered boats

ABSTRACT

A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard, or inboard-outboard powered boats in which a single capstan lever is pivoted upon the front of the boat for tilting movement to right or left and is connected through push-pull cables or similar devices to a steerable outboard motor rudder or to the outboard part of the inboard-outboard drive combination at the rear of the boat to effect steering control of the boat and the shift and throttle of the outboard motor part or rudder. This capstan lever has handles extending from the top thereof which can be grasped by the pilot to effect steering movement of the lever. The upper end of the capstan lever is flaired and tightly receives the removable casings of throttle and shift levers that are connected through push-pull cables with the outboard or inboard motor. Various connections are made from the capstan lever to the outboard motor to effect the steering of the outboard motor, not only in the form of a push-pull cable, but rod linkage and telemetric hydraulic cylindrical device. An instrument panel may be provided upon the capstan where it can be easily viewed by the pilot.

e lever. The upper end ghtly receives the removalevers that are connected through push-pull cables with the outboard or inboard motor.

Various connections are made from the capstan lever to the outboard motor to effect the steerin not only in the form of a age and tele n instrument panel Primary ExaminerAndrewI-I. Farrell AttorneyPolachek & Saulsbury ABSTRACT: A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard, or inboard-outboard powered boats in which a single capstan lever is pivoted upon the front of the boat for tilting movement to right or left and is connected through push-pull cables or similar devices to a steerable outboard motor rudder or to the outboard part of the inboardoutboard drive combination at the rear of the boat to effect ATS steering control of the boat and the shift and throttle of the outboard motor part or rudder. This capstan lever has handles extending from the top thereof which can be grasped by the pilot to effect steering movement of th 74/471 of the capstan lever is flaired and ti 363112136 ble casings of throttle and shift 114/146; 115/18; 74/480 B,471 XY,471

g of the outboard motor, push-pull cable. but rod link metric hydraulic cylindrical device. A 115/18 may be provided upon the capstan where it can be easily 1 14/144 viewed by the pilot.

Alfred J. Farrell 21 Cleveland Ave., Sayville, N.Y. 11782 850,391 Aug. 15, 1969 [45] Patented Oct. 19, 1971 CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD, INBOARD, OR INBOARD-OUTBOARD POWERED BO 5 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1943 Binger.......................... 4/1963 United States Patent [72] Inventor [21] Appl.N0.

22 Filed [54] COMBINED STEERING, SHIFT AND THROTTLE [50] Fieldofsearchmm 0w AWN m (t a ews CA & .I t P 4 l 6 u //ll| GMW A mmm t PATENTEUUCT 19 197i SHEET 10F 2 IM/I'JNI (m ALFRED J. FARRELL ATTORNEYS PAIENTEnum 19 an 3, 6 1 8 632 SHEET 2 UF 2 TELESCDPID EIID DR 3 HYDRAULIC CYLINDER LEVER SDDPIC END 0R AULID CYLINDER 39 new CYLINDER 75 ALFRED J. FARRELL [WWW ' ATTORNEYS COMBINED STEERING, SHIFT AND THROTTLE CONTROL FOR OUTBOARD, INBOARD, OR INBOARD- OUTBOARD POWERED BOATS This invention relates to a combined steering, shift, and throttle control for outboard, inboard-rudder or combined inboard-outboard powered boats.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a control for outboardor inboard-powered boats in which the shift and throttle control is uniquely embodied in the steering control member and all parts of the control, steering, shift being effected through push-pull cable arrangements and so that the pilot of the boat has a forward station in the boat associated with one upstanding capstan pivotally connected to the bottom of the boat and movable between left and right positions to effect the steering of the boat and bearing the gearshift lever and throttle control upon the same.

It is another object of the invention to provide in an upstanding steering lever of capstan, shift, and throttle levers which are self-contained in casings conforming to the shape of the upper end of the steering lever of the capstan so as to be gravity fitted and mechanically locked into place in the upper end of the capstan yet easily removable therefrom and permitting thereby attaching of the cables to the hand levers, or detaching the same therefrom.

It is another object of the invention to provide a combined steering, shift, and throttle lever control for boats which can be supported from the bottom of the boat either by attachment to the top surface of the floor or depending through the boat floor for connection with cables disposed under the floor and unexposed above the floor of the boat.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a combined steering, shift, and throttle control lever for powered-operated boats that can be adapted for the attachment thereto of different remote control linkages, wires and telemetric hydraulic cylindrical devices and by which the power for steering can e effected through stepped up power means without being dependent upon hand power to effect the steering of the boat.

Other objects of the invention are to provide in the carrying out of the above other objects, a simple construction, inexpensive to manufacture, has a minimum number of parts, easy to install within the boat and connected with the outboard motor or rudder-inboard motor, self-contained holding means for the pivotal steering lever to keep the outboard motor or rudder in its steering position or centered for straight ahead movement of the boat, durable, rugged, of pleasing appearance, efficient and elTective in use.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a boat, with an outboard motor thereon, and utilizing the combined steering, shift, and throttle control lever or capstan and system according to one form of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the combined lever or capstan with the throttle and gearshift control devices lifted out of the top of the capstan lever.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a capstan lever constructed according to another form of the invention and adapted for twin outboard motor arrangement.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the capstan lever assembly of Figs. 1 to 3 in which the steering linkage employs a bellcrank lever supported for horizontal turning movement on a floor pedestal.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the capstan lever shown in Figs. l, 2 and 5 wherein the lower end of the lever extends downwardly through the floor but is pivoted to the top surface of the floor, the steering linkage and the throttle and gearshift cables extending from the lever and under the floor to the outboard motor mounted upon the boat transom.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the arrangement ofa bellcrank control lever including the linkage beneath the floor.

FIG. 8 is a top perspective view of the capstan lever pivoted on the top of the floor and employing a telemetric double-acting hydraulic cylindrical actuator for effecting the steering of the outboard motor upon the rear wall of the boat. Referring now particularly to Figs. l3, there is shown a boat indicated generally at 15 having a bottom floor 16 formed of boards and running longitudinally of the boat and a transom l7 witha bracket 18 secured to its upper edge to which an outboard motor 19 is pivotally connected for swinging movement to right or left and having the usual drop propeller and rudder device, not shown, depending into the water and the boat is steered by the turning of the outboard motor to the right or left.

According to the present invention, there is provided a capstan lever 21 which is pivotally connected as shown in the Figs. l3 by a bolt 22 and bolted-down opposing brackets 24 and 25 to the top surface of the floor 16. The axis of the bolt 22 runs longitudinally of the boat so that the capstan lever 21 is pivoted to the left or right as desired to effect the steering of the outboard motor 13 at the rear of the boat. The capstan lever can be located at any position in the boat and forwardly of the outboard motor. 7

In order to effect steering of the outboard motor, a push pull cable device 26 connected between clamp block assemblies 27 and 28 located respectively on the floor Id of the boat adjacent to the'capstan lever 21 and on the transom 17 of the boat. This cable device comprises an outer sleeve anchored between the block assemblies 27 and 28 and through which a cable wire 29 can be pushed and pulled by the capstan lever. The pull rod 29 is connected by a ball joint device 31 to the rear face of the capstan lever 21. The opposite end of the cable is similarly connected by a ball joint device 32 to a forwardly extending projection 33 of the outboard motor or to the rudder of inboard boats. As the capstan 21 is moved to the left of the pilot the outboard motor is turned to the position shown in Fig. l to cause the boat to be steered to the left. The cable 29 will have been pulled through the cable sleeve and block assemblies 27 and 28 to effect this movement. If the capstan lever is pulled to the right the outboard motor will be swung to the opposite position and the boat is steered to the right. v The outboard motor 19 has a throttle or carburetor control which can be controlled through a throttle push-pull cable device 41, the outer sleeve of which is anchored on the outboard motor 14 and by a clamp 42 on a flaired removable casing 38. The upper end of the capstan lever 2I is flaired upwardly at 39 and is open to removably contain the removable casings 37 and 38 flaired in shape conforming to the flairing 39 atv the top of the capstan. The width of the flaired casings 37 and 38 is one-half the width of the flaired end 39 of the lever at the open top thereof and they are shaped so that they can be lowered into the flaired end 39 for a tight fit therein with their upper flaired ends 37 and 38' lying flush with the top edge of the flairing 39 of the capstan lever as best viewed in Fig. 3.

The flaired casing 37 has a depending flange 43 to which the clamp 36 is attached to anchor the cable sleeve. Within the flaired casing 37 and extending out of the top thereof is a shift lever 44 pivotally connected to the casing by a screw 46 and having its lower end connected directly to the pull cable wire 47 of the push-pull cable device 34. The shift lever 44 has a laterally extending handle 38 which is grasped to effect the shifting of gearing by being connected to the outboard motors.

Likewise, the flaired casing 38 has a throttle lever 51 pivoted to the casing at 52 and connected to a cable forming a part of the throttle control so that as the lever 51 is grasped by its handgrip 53 the speed of the motor 19 can be changed.

It should not be apparent that there has been provided a combine steering throttle shift control capstan lever by which the boat 15 can be controlled through its outboard motor and wherein by the provision of insertable casings 37 and 38 for the hand levers 44 and SI the cables can be easily secured thereto or taken up with the casings being made free for this purpose by being removable from the flaired upper end 39 of the lever. It should now be apparent that this same capstan control lever with the throttle and gearshift controls can readily be connected to rudder for the boat and the controls connected to an inboard motor or the outboard part and the controls to the inboard part of an inboard-outboard motor.

With the casings 37 and 38 thrust tightly into the flaired upper end 39 and mechanically fastened to the lever 21 by the push-pull cable being substantially frictionally resisted the pilot can grasp particularly the throttle lever handgrip 53 to effect the steering of the outboard motor to the right or left. The pressure is being applied upon the handgrip lever 51 more to the side than longitudinally so that the movement of the capstan lever 21 can be effected without changing the throttle lever 51 between its highand low-speed position. The movement to which the capstan lever can be extended to effect the steering is illustrated by dot-dash lines 56 and 57 of Fig. 3.

It will be apparent that in this arrangement push-pull cables have been used throughout and that any movement of the levers will effect the ad justments and the push-pull wire retained in the sleeve through its frictional engagement therewith will hold the parts in their adjusted positions. An instrument panel 55 may be formed upon the front of the flaired upper end 39 of the capstan lever 21 and may contain gages 55' and side switches 55'. In this manner complete control of the boat for starting, ignition, lights, checking the running condition of the motor, monitoring the instruments and so forth will be provided upon the capstan lever.

If it is desired to use a push rod linkage, the capstan lever 21 can, as shown in Fig. 5, be connected by a bellcrank lever 58 mounted on the upper end of a post 59 fixed upon the floor 16 and connected for lateral pivotal movement on a pivot pin 61 at the upper end thereof. A ball joint 31' on the capstan lever is connected by a push rod 62 and a bifurcated connection 63 to one arm 64 of the lever 58 while the other arm 65 is connected by a bifurcated connection 66 to the telescopic end of a rod or hydraulic cylinder device 67. The opposite end of the rod 67 will be connected through a similar linkage to the forwardly extending steerable motor projection 33. Steering is thus effected with this arrangement in the same manner as above described by moving the capstan lever 21 to the right or left.

In Fig. 6, the lower end of the capstan lever 21 is depended through a hole 68 in the floor 16 so that the pivot bolt 22 will be raised upon the lever 21 and supported in the same manner as above described by brackets 24 and 25. The ball joint device 31 is connected to the lever 21 under the floor 16 to a straight lever 69 pivoted on the lower end of a support 71 depending from the underside of the floor l6. The rod 67 is connected to the opposite end of the lever 61 and by a similar linkage to the outboard motor or rudder projection 33.

In Fig. 7, there is a similar connection of the capstan lever 21 through opening 68 in the floor 16 in which the linkage is provided under the floor 16 but in which a reverse bellcrank lever 58 is used, the same being pivoted on the lower end of a support 71 depending from the floor 16..The outer arm 72 is secured to the bifurcated connection 66 of the linkage end 67. The capstan lever 21 having the throttle and shift levers 51 and 44 will be operated in the manner above described to effect the control of the boat.

In Fig. 8, a telemetric hydraulic arrangement indicated generally at 75 employing two-way hydraulic cylindrical devices 76 and 77. The hydraulic cylindrical device 76 is mounted on a post 78 extending upwardly from the floor 16 and is further connected by a ball joint rod 79 with the capstan lever 21 pivoted upon pivot pin 22 in brackets 24 and 25 secured to the top of the floor 16. As the capstan lever 21 is moved to the right or left the ball joint connection 31 moves the rod 79 and its piston within the hydraulic cylindrical device 76 to force hydraulic fluid through either hose connection 81 or 82 to effect upon the hydraulic cylindrical device 77 the movement of its piston and rod 83 upon the balljoint connection 84 with the forwardly extending projection 33 of the outboard motor 19. The movement of the capstan lever 21 to right or left will cause a corresponding turning of the outboard motor 19 upon its pivotal bracket 18 on the transom 17 of the boat.

In Fig. 4, there is shown a modified capstan lever 86 that is pivotally and similarly secured to the floor 16 by pivot bolt 22 and brackets 24 and 25. The upper part of the capstan lever 86 while being flaired at its top 89 is closed at the top at 91 upwardly from which there extends a handgrip 92 which is grasped by the pilot to pivot the capstan lever 86 to the right or left. Instead of casings being removable out of the flaired upper end 89 of the lever 86, dual lever casings 93 and 94 are connected respectively to the opposite sides of the capstan lever 86. These housings 93 and 94 contain single-lever shift and throttle control handles 96 and 97 and adapted for controlling the operation of twin outboard or inboard motors. Push-pull cable devices 101 and 102 extend from the control housing 94 and capstan lever 86. A ball joint connection 31 connects the lever 86 with a telescopic end of a pullcable or hydraulic cylinder device as above described.

It should now be apparent that with the various arrangements as they are worked out for connection between the capstan lever and the outboard or inboard motors that full control of the outboard or inboard motors can be completely efi'ected through the capstan lever located anywhere in the boat or even on an upper lever known as a flying bridge. It is apparent that the capstan lever is connected to the rudder where inboard motors are used or to the outboard part of an inboardoutboard type of motors.

What is claimed is:

1. A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard and inboard-outboard motors for powered boats comprising a capstan lever adapted to be connected to the boat at a forward location for pivotal movement to the right or left, said motors and parts in the form of a rudder adapted to be pivotally attached to the rear of the boat to effect steering movement of the boat and having throttle ad shift controls, a telemetric control device extendable between the capstan lever and rudder part to transfer movement of the capstan lever to the rudder part to effect the steering of the boat, shift and throttle levers carried on the capstan lever and push-pull cable devices connecting the levers to the shaft and throttle controls of the outboard motor to permit thereby operation of the shift and throttle control of the motor while effecting steering of the boat with the capstan lever, said capstan lever being flaired and open at its upper end, flaired shift and throttle lever casings conforming in shape to the interior of the flaired upper end of the capstan lever and removably mounted thereon, said lever casing containing respectively the shift and throttle levers, and the cable connections between the levers and the motors and rudder parts having such friction to permit the employment of one or the other of the levers to effect the lateral steering movement of the capstan lever without effecting the shaft or throttle leverage, said shift and throttle levers being moved between fore and aft positions in their casings and yet in any one of the positions of the levers, they can be used as a handgrip to effect the right and left movement of the capstan lever, said flaired casings being removable to provide easy access to the cable connections with the shift and throttle levers.

2. A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard and inboard-outboard motors device for powered boats as defined in claim 1, and said telemetric control device including a ball joint connection extending from the capstan lever, a clamp block assembly adapted to be anchored to the floor of the boat adjacent the capstan lever and transom wall of the boat and connected to the ball connection of the capstan lever, another clamp block assembly adapted to be anchored to the boat adjacent the motor and connected to the motor, and push-pull cable extending between the clamp block assemblies.

3. A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard and inboard-outboard motors for powered boats as defined in claim 1, and said capstan lever having means for pivotally attaching the lever to the boat floor while depending through an opening in the floor and said shift and throttle cables being extendable through the lower end of the capstan lever and below the floor and said telemetric steering control device being similarly connected to the lower end of the capstan lever beneath the floor.

4. A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard, and inboard-outboard motors for powered boats as defined in claim 1, said telemetric control device extending between the capstan lever and the rudder part including double-acting hydraulic cylinder devices adapted to be mounted at a location near to the capstan lever and having a movable rod connected to the capstan lever, said motor rudder part having a forwardly extending projection and hydraulic cylinder device connected to said steering projection and conduits interconnecting the hydraulic cylinder devices, whereby steering movement of the capstan lever will cause a corresponding steering movement of the rudder part.

5. A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard, and inboard-outboard motors for powered boats as defined in claim 1, and a combined instrument panel and switch device mounted upon the upper end of the capstan lever whereby to provide for complete control of the boat upon a solitary capstan lever. 

1. A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard and inboard-outboard motors for powered boats comprising a capstan lever adapted to be connected to the boat at a forward location for pivotal movement to the right or left, said motors and parts in the form of a rudder adapted to be pivotally attached to the rear of the boat to effect steering movement of the boat and having throttle ad shift controls, a telemetric control device extendable between the capstan lever and rudder part to transfer movement of the capstan lever to the rudder part to effect the steering of the boat, shift and throttle levers carried on the capstan lever and push-pull cable devices connecting the levers to the shaft and throttle controls of the outboard motor to permit thereby operation of the shift and throttle control of the motor while effecting steering of the boat with the capstan lever, said capstan lever being flaired and open at its upper end, flaired shift and throttle lever casings conforming in shape to the interior of the flaired upper end of the capstan lever and removably mounted thereon, said lever casing containing respectively the shift and throttle levers, and the cable connections between the levers and the motors and rudder parts having such friction to permit the employment of one or the other of the levers to effect the lateral steering movement of the capstan lever without effecting the shaft or throttle leverage, said shift and throttle levers being moved between fore and aft positions in their casings and yet in any one of the positions of the levers, they can be used as a handgrip to effect the right and left movement of the capstan lever, said flaired casings being removable to provide easy access to the cable connections with the shift and throttle levers.
 2. A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard and inboard-outboard motors device for powered boats as defined in claim 1, and said telemetric control device including a ball joint connection extending from the capstan lever, a clamp block assembly adapted to be anchored to the floor of the boat adjacent the capstan lever and transom wall of the boat and connected to the ball connection of the capstan lever, another clamp block assembly adapted to be anchored to the boat adjacent the motor and connected to the motor, and push-pull cable extending between the clamp block assemblies.
 3. A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard and inboard-outboard motors for powered boats as defined in claim 1, and said capstan lever having means for pivotally attaching the lever to the boat floor while depending through an opening in the floor and said shift and throttle cables being extendable through the lower end of the capstan lever and below the floor and said telemetric steering control device being similarly connected to the lower end of the capstan lever beneath the floor.
 4. A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard, and inboard-outboard motors for powered boats as defined in claim 1, said telemetric control device extending between the capstan lever and the rudder part including double-acting hydraulic cylinder devices adapted to be mounted at a location near to the capstan lever and having a movable rod connected to the capstan lever, said motor rudder part having a forwardly extending projection and hydraulic cylinder device connected to said steering projection and conduits interconnecting the hydraulic cylinder devices, whereby steering movement of the capstan lever will cause a corresponding steering movement of the rudder part.
 5. A combined steering, shift and throttle control for outboard, inboard, and inboard-outboard motors for powered boats as defined in claim 1, and a combined instrument panel and switch device mounted upon the upper end of the capstan lever whereby to provide for complete control of the boat upon a solitary capstan lever. 